Awesome Facts about Keanu Reeves' John Wick

Action, thriller, sci-fi, superheroes, I love them all. And I love writing about them almost as much!

I saw John Wick for the first time tonight, and my reaction is nothing short of amazed. John Wick is nearly the perfect action flick, with incredible pacing, stylish action, and a revenge-centric plot that would rival any Tarantino film. Seeing this brutal adventure unfold onscreen, there are a few hidden (and some not-so-hidden) and awesome facts about this movie that you may not know.

1. Unique Fighting Styles

Wick takes down a bad guy using Judo

Keanu Reeves' fighting style portrayed in the film is an Asian martial art known as Judo. This fighting style was created in 1882 for competition fighters, and emphasizes throws, joint locks, and chokeholds in an attempt to make the opponent yield. Wick's opponent later in the film, Ms. Perkins (Adrianne Palicki) utilizes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

2. An Even More Unique Shooting Style

Note the position of the assault rifle

The gun handling the Keanu Reeves uses in this movie is a unique tactical stance called "central axis relock" shooting. This is a shooting style developed by Paul Castle for use in close-quarters-combat. This is most notable in the first action scene at Wick's house, as he keeps his pistol close to his center mass and the sights close to his eye, while his weak shoulder (left) is kept pointed towards his opponent. Though mostly used with pistols, it can be used with tasers, shotguns, and assault rifles (as shown above).

3. Keanu Reeves' Hawaiian Heritage

"Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat"

In the above scene, we catch a glimpse of John Wick's extensive tattoos across his back and arms. One of the most notable tattoos is the Latin phrase "Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat", which literally translates to Fortune Favors the Bold. This statement is used as the motto for the 3rd Battalion Marines stationed in the Marine Corps base in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. This could be a nod to Keanu Reeves' Native Hawaiian heritage, and may also indicate John Wick's Marine background in the film.

4. Photographic Memory

John Wick unleashes his rage in the Red Circle Club

During the incredible Red Circle nightclub fight scene, John Wick dispatches several enemies using his gun skills and hand-to-hand fighting capabilities. Normally, a scene like this would take weeks or even months of hard training and practice to be able to accomplish even for a seasoned fighter. Keanu Reeves, however, proved to be the exception. All the extensive fighting choreography taking place on the second floor was learned and memorized in a single day by Reeves, all so filming could take place.

If you want a taste for the movie and want to see all of John Wick's skills unleashed in a single scene, check out this amazing shootout:

Anything I missed? Any fun facts you know that I don't? Leave a comment below!